The biggest loser of Wednesday’s Republican Primary debate was America.

While I admit that I laughed, cried and cooed about how adorable Jeb Bush is with my roommates, my young adult cynicism grew steadily and massive as the debate wore on.

Out of the 11 Republican candidates — Donald Trump; Ben Carson; Jeb Bush; Ted Cruz; Marco Rubio; Mike Huckabee; Rand Paul; Carly Fiorina; Scott Walker; John Kasich; and Chris Christie — who participated in the second round of primary presidential debates on Wednesday, 10 have Bachelor’s degrees. Walker does not have a degree.

At the same time, the majority of the candidates do not plan to enact policy addressing global warming. This means your next president could be someone who disagrees with 97 percent of scientists. Do you really want that person making policy decisions about mandatory vaccines or using biochemical weapons? Although, it might already be too late to vote based on vaccine policy.

Both candidates who hold medical degrees — Carson and Paul  — agreed that people should have some measure of choice with regards to using vaccines.

“Certain ones” are important, Carson said. “There are others, there are a multitude which probably don’t fit in that category … A lot of this is pushed by big government.”

A University of Michigan physician who studied under Carson in the late 1980s expressed dismay, reported Politico. “Trump is a buffoon, but I respect Dr. Carson, and he should know better,” said Howard Markel. “You take the Hippocratic Oath, which is to first do no harm.”

I simply cannot support the ignorance within our society. I was literally disgusted by some of the radical and inflexible ideologies these candidates and their supporters have. 

How can these people be voluntarily educated and maintain their archaic and idiotic ideas about gay marriage and vaccinations? These basic issues of equality and health are not the only points I cannot understand.

While 6 out of 11 have a Master’s degree of some sort, none of these candidates support the Iran deal. At least these six people must know that the Iran deal is analogous to the United State’s failed North Korea deal.

“The experience with North Korea does provide a potential lesson: In the messy world of nuclear nonproliferation, the perfect can be the enemy of the good. Insisting on a perfect deal could be a recipe for having no deal at all — with devastating consequences all around,” wrote Philip Gordon, senior fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations, on Politico. “No one involved in the negotiation of the framework agreement with Iran, as I was from the time negotiations began until I left the Obama administration in April, believes it is an ideal solution.”

Yet, Gordon still believes this solution must be tried.

I am an independent betrayed by America’s promise of democracy and am forced to swallow our two-party system that virtually guarantees either a Democrat or Republican president.

Still, I participate as if I can make a change.

To make an educated vote, I watch debates and research candidates in all parties. 

I cannot, however, pretend as if the Republican party can help me make that difference. Instead, my heart yearns to feel the Bern(ie Sanders, 2016).